Explain The North American Model Of Wildlife Conservation

The North American Model of Conservation is an important part of the preservation and conservation of our nation’s natural resources. The model contains seven main tenets, each of which serve to provide opportunity for our use of the wildlife resources while simultaneously protecting the same resources from over harvest. The ideas presented in this model have been present long before the words were put to paper; some can be traced back to Roman times. The tenets began to become more concrete in the 19th century when hunters and anglers saw the drastic decline in wildlife due to the high demand in meat markets. These hunters and anglers set in motion the conservation movement that eventually conceived the North American Model. This movement
Wildlife as a public trust resource. This means that the government holds wildlife in a trust for the people. No one person has more claim on wildlife than any other person but all citizens have the same right to use the same wildlife.
2. Elimination of markets for game. Commerce of wildlife was a large contributor for the decline in the 19th century. Professional hunters would kill many animals to sell at market. This tenet prohibits the sale of wildlife to keep populations sustainable.
3. Allocation of Wildlife by Law. This tenet ensures that wildlife is available to everyone and not privatized to companies or people of wealth. No laws should be written without due process of a democracy.
4. Wildlife should only be killed for legitimate reasons. This tenet ensures that wildlife is not killed for trivial reasons. Food, fur, property protection and self-defense are all legitimate reasons.
5. Wildlife is considered an international resource. Migratory birds and fishes move between countries in different seasons. This requires that the two countries work together in order to preserve and manage a migratory species.
6. Science as the basis for wildlife management. This means that science, not emotion or opinion, will be the foundation on which we make our laws and regulation to manage our wildlife
The common person did not have the right to hunt or pursue wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt thought that this was a poor policy for America. He position was that equal hunting opportunity for all people, rich or poor, would be beneficial to society. Roosevelt called this idea Democracy of Sport.
“We do not intend that our natural resources shall be exploited by the few against the interests of the many... Our aim is to preserve our natural resource for the public as a whole, for the average man and the average woman who make up the body of the American people.” – Theodore Roosevelt
As can be seen in this quote, Roosevelt intended to appeal to the interest of the masses and the quality of our nation’s natural resources instead of the interests of the elite. This was a revolutionary idea that, on the surface, looked wonderful. Although this was a spectacular idea in theory, it has a few unintended